Flash Adds H.264 – NextGen Solutions Race is On

Adobe today announced a new release of Flash dubbed Moviestar which includes H.264 support, strengthening Adobe’s already entrenched position in online video.

Since NAB back in April when Microsoft first introduced Silverlight to the public, there has been increasing debate over whether Microsoft can convert more users by gaining professional acceptance of Silverlight and its VC-1 codec as a more powerful rich media technology.

Microsoft is starting from the top, Signing on the MLBs of the world, pushing the high quality endgame and hoping users will follow the content. Adobe is working from the ground up to make Flash the most effective solution for the greatest number of people and developers.

While adding H.264, a strong and widely used codec, makes Flash a more useful product there is a strong argument to be made that VC-1 is a better high-bitrate solution, and may be more effective as an IPTV solution.

Microsoft with their existing corporate partnerships has been able to sign on some large partners for Silverlight. At the same time, Adobe is moving quickly and their recent introduction of live flash is beginning to pick up steam.

Online video is moving so fast that in addition to straining infrastructure it is putting stress on decision makers. Silverlight is looming and as Adobe’s Tinic Uro writes:

What was unexpected was how impatient a lot of our customers are :- ) It seems many are trying to make choices when it comes to video technologies right now.

Silverlight has been slow to roll out working solutions and Microsoft will need to prove its advantages soon. We are emerging from the low-quality era of the first half of this decade and there is a great deal of money being spent transitioning to the next generation of online video delivery.